IRCTC withdraws tender for applications to monetise customer data

Facing criticism, and advocacy groups asserting compromise of citizens’ privacy, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) withdrew the tender floated by it to monetise its customer data.

The IRCTC informed that because the government withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill 2018, the corporation also pulled back the tender that it had floated to appoint a consultant to help it monetise customers’ data.

The Indian Railways’ ticketing arm floated an e-tender on July 29, calling for consultants to suggest ideas that could help with the monetisation of customers data—including their name,